Hub-cap wrench



April 15, 1930. R, HUGHENS 1,754,717

HUB CAP WRENCH Filed Ap'ril 29, 1929 ATTOFIIQEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ROBERT L. HUGHENS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA HUB-CAP WRENCH Application filed April 29,

My present invention relates to improvements in wrenches of the type used for removing hub caps of motor vehicles, and aims to provide a hub cap wrench of simple and economical construction which may be used with facility to remove and reapply hub caps of the type used in the new Chevrolet which, by reason of its peculiar construction is ditiicult to handle with the forms of wrenches or spanners heretofore used.

The invention includes the novel construction hereinafter described and defined by the appended claim.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved hub cap wrench.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the handle partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 (partly broken away) showing the wrench jaws open.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a Chevrolet hub cap.

Referring by reference characters to these drawings, the numeral 1 designates the hub cap as a whole which, it will be observed, has a cylindrical portion l provided with internal screw threads to enable it to be screwed onto the wheel hub, adjacent which is a noncircular portion of octagonal shape indicated at 1* having flat edge portions beyond which is an annular cylindrical portion l'2 which projects beyond and conceals the octagonal portion and the presence of which interferes with the convenient removal of the cap by customary devices.

My improved wrench comprises a pair of jaws 2 and 3 hinged together at 2a, and shaped, when closed together, to fit around the nut portion lb, the free ends being designed to be locked together by a locking device 4:.

When so locked together around the nut portion, said parts form wrench jaws capable of being turned by means of arm 5 fast on one of the jaw members (2 for example), and carrying a laterally extending pin 6 on which 1929. Serial No. 358,884.

is rotatably mounted a handle of the sleeve type.

The jaws 2 and 3 are made of a thickness corresponding substantially to the width of the faces b of the nut portion. Preferably I make the part 3 with five flat angularly disposed edge portions indicated at 5l?, the terminal ones being parallel and enabling the member 3 to be slid onto the nut portion of the hub cap, and engage five sides thereof, the jaw part 2 having three fiat portions 4:1 to fit the remaining three sides.

To assist in guiding the member 3 onto the hub cap and also to retain the cap in the wrench while being unscrewed and after removal, I provide the member 3 with a retaining plate or bridge 7 connected to the jaw member back from its nut engaging portions, so as to provide space to receive the projecting portion lc as will be clearly evident from the F drawing.

Thus the wrench is easily applied, cannot slip off, or become disengaged from the hub cap during removal, after the jaws have been locked together, and after removal, the hub cap will be retained in the wrench unless purposely removed by unlocking the jaws.

As a convenient means of locking the jaws together, I provide the swinging catch member l pivoted to the under face of member 2 at la and having a recess 4c in its free end to engage a projection 8 on part 3. Obviously, other forms of locking means could be used, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A wrench for hub caps having a handle and diverging arms forming jaw faces extending therefrom, an outer substantially U-shaped member having jaw faces on its inner side and pivoted at one end to one of said diverging arms, the other end of said U-shaped member adapted to be locked to the other of said diverging arms, said U-shaped member having a bridge integrally attached thereto in offset relation to the open space of the jaws of said Ushaped member on opposite sides thereof.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ROBERT L. HU'GHENs.

Cil 

